Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines



April 20, 1926. 1,581,786

R. H. CHILTON- STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Nov. 16 1920 INVENTOR. 1162-404 HcAW/w; v m/zt/bdwa A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 2Q, 1925.

UNITE STATES PATENT orrics.

RALPH H. CHILTON, F TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH COR- PORATION, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-OOIVEBUSTION BEGIN ES.

Application filed November 16, 1920. Serial No. 4 =72.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, RALPH HENRY CHIL- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Internal-Coin bustion Engines, of which I. declare tlc following to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to starting mechanism for internal combustion engines. An important object of the invention is the provision of a driving mechanism adapted to be positioned between the starting motor and the fiy-wheel of the engine wherein the meshing gear is thrown transversely to the motor shaft into mesh with the engine member.

Another object contemplated by the invention is the utilization of a transverse type of drive wherein a yielding element positioned adjacent the mechanism so as to obsorb shocks due to variation in load.

Still another object is the provision of a transverse drive mechanism which 'is supported entirelv upon the motor casing rather than upon the motor shaft.

Further objects and those relating to economies of manufacture will become apparent as I proceed with a detailed description of that particular embodiment of my invention which for the purposes of illustration I have shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a view partly in section of the preferred form of the mechanism.

Figure 11 is a view showing a different spring arrangement, and

Figure III is a view showing another modification of the mechanism.

Referring to the numbered parts of the drawing there is shown a motor which may be of any conventional type such as the series electric starting motor now in cominon use. The shaft 11 of the motor extends through the bearing 12 and carries on its extremity a pinion 13. From the motor casingan arm 1% extends which carries pivotally thereon a rotatable bearing 15. larly to the motor shaft bearing 12 another pivotally mounted bearing 16 is secured and to these pivotally mounted bearings and 1G a secondary stub shaft 17 is rotatably mounted. This shaft, intermediate the bearings 15 and 16, is screw threaded and a Simiwheel 2i \crsely willcarry it into mesh or into engagement with the engine member. it

Means for taking up the shock incident to starting and during the starting operation is provided for in coil spring 21 mounted on the shaft intermediate a collar adjacent the pivot 16, and the screwthreaded pinion 18 above mentioned. While the spring may be used without any protective easing, it is here shown as including cup receptacle 2S telescoping with a larger reversed cup receptacle 24, so positioned relatire to each, other that compression of the spring by means of the pinion 18 forces the cup receptacle 24k a limited distance to the right as'viewed in. Figure 1, until its edges contact with a stop 22, thereby permitting yield to a certain point and subsequent rigid driving connection between the pinion 1.8 and the screw threaded shaft 17 upon which it is mounted.

From the above description the operation is apparent. When the motor starts up the initial rotatibn of the pinion 13 in the direction as indicated by the arrow, will tend to throw over the secondary shaft 17 with its pinions 18 and 19 upon its pivots 15 and 16 until the pinion 19 meshes with the engine gear. The rotating motor pinion 13 will then rotate the second pinion 18 thereby causing it to screw on its thread to the rightagainst the spring 21 and in this manner yieldingly take up the load of the engine through the pinion 19. When the spring has been completely compressed or depending upon the strength of the spring at any time prior to this point, the

engine member will have been initially started and the motor will drive yieldingly thereto and finally start the engine. As soon as the engine has started under its own power it will immediately accelerate very rapidly and thereby throw the pinion 19 out of mesh transversely.

In addition to the mechanism heretofore described, it has been found desirable to employ a second spring 25 attached to the arm 14 below the pivot point of the pivot member 15 and attached at its other end to the pivot member 15, thereby securing an off-center yielding tension such as will tend to maintain the transversely movable unit either in mesh or out of mesh with the engine member so thatafter the engine has started up under its own power and has thrown the transverse unit out of mesh, the spring member will tend to retain the unit out of mesh until operated upon by the starting torque of the motor during starting operation.

In the modification of Figure II I have shown'the spring member differently arranged. In this case the spring element is interposed between the second or screw threaded pinion 18 and the engine 1neshing pinion 19. As in thepreferred form above described, the spring rests in a cup casing 31 fixed, in this case, on the pinion 18 and a second reversed cup member 32 fixed on the pinion 19 and slidable on the cup member 31.

In the operation of'this device thedirection of the screw threads are such as to cause the pinion 18 to screw outwardly toward the pinion. 19 until the resistance of the spring is balanced by the load or until the pinion 18 completely compresses the spring to its limited position. In this modification also I have shown a slightly different method of mounting. The pivotal member 15 being mounted upon a pin 38 extending outwardly from the motor casing arm 14 instead of inwardly as described with reference to Figure I.

In the modification of Figure III the second pinion 40 is keyed to the secondary shaft 41 and the third pinion 42 has screw threaded engagement with the secondary shaft, its axial 'movement along the shaft being limited by the end stop 43 and the yielding spring element 44 interposed between the pivotal member 45 and said pinion 42. As described with reference to the other forms, this spring is enclosed by a cup shaped bearing 46 fixed to the pivotal member 45 and a reversed cup bearing 47 fixed to the pinion 42 and slidable in the cup 46. In the operation of this form, subsequent to the throwing of the transverse unit toward the engine member and the meshing of the pinion 42 with the engine fly-wheel continued rotation of the stub shaft 41 causes the pinion 42 to screw to the right against the spring member until the spring pressure is equal to the resistance of the engine load when the engine flywheel is rotated and the engine started as described with reference to the other modifications of the invention.

Attention is directed to the fact that the spring element is not in the direct line of drive but merely serves as a buffer for the slidable pinions on the secondary shafts. Further, all tendency to bend due to pressure on the motor shaft is avoided by supporting the bearings of the secondary shaft entirely from the casing or parts attached directly to the casing, thus greatly increasing the efiiciency and operativeness of the invention.

IVhile I have described in more or less detail certain embodiments of my invention I do not wish to be limited thereto, as it is obvious to those skilled in the art that other embodiments and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. An engine starting mechanism comprising, in combination, a motor having a casing and extended shaft; a pinion secured to the end of the shaft; a stub shaft pivotally mounted on said casing and rotatably secured in said mounting; a drive pinion fixed to the stub shaft and adapted to engage the engine member; a third pinion axially and rotatably mounted on the stub shaft and in mesh with said motor pinion; and a yielding element mounted adjacent the third pinion and adapted to resist axial movement thereof in one direction, said third pinion being adapted to transmit torque from said motor pinion to the drive pinion.

2. In a drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a casing and an extended shaft; a pinion fixed to said shaft; a stub shaft pivotally mounted on the casing and in parallel relation to the motorshaft, said Istub shaft being rotatably secured in its mountings; a second pinion screw threaded on the stub shaft and in mesh with said first named pinion; resilient means tending to restrain motion of the said pinion in one direction; and a third pinion fixed to the stub shaft. I

In a drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a shaft; a pinion fixed to the shaft; a second pinion in mesh with the first pinion and bodily movable transversely and axially relative thereto; a bodily movable member on which said second pinion is mounted; and a third pinion fixed to said member the transverse movement of said member being adapted to move the same into engagement with the load to be driven.

4. In a drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a shaft; a pinion fixed to the shaft; a second pinion in mesh with the first pinion and bodily movable transversely and axially thereto; a bodily movable member on which said second pinion is mounted; and a third pinion fixed to said member; and yielding means adapted to restrain movement of the second pinion in an axial direction.

5. In a drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a shaft; a pinion fixed to the shaft; a stub shaft rotatably mounted relative to said pinion; a plurality of gears mounted on said stub shaft having a yielding driving connection therein be tween; said pinion and one of said gears beingenmeshed with each other.

6. In a drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a shaft; a pinion mounted on said shaft; a second shaft in parallel alignment with said motor shaft and bodily movable about said pinion; a second pinion mounted on said second shaft adapted to be moved bodily into engagement With a member to be driven; and means intermediate said pinions adapted yieldably to transmit torque from the first pinion to the second.

7. In a. drive mechanism, the combination of a motor having a shaft; a pinion mount ed on said shaft; a second shaft in parallel alignment With said motor shaft and bodily movable about said pinion; a second pinion mounted on said second shaft adapted to be moved bodily into engagement with a member to be driven; means intermediate said p'inio'ns adapted yieldably to transmit torque from the first pinion to the second, Said yieldable means including a pinion; a gear in engagement with said first pinion and in screw-threaded engagement with said second shaft; and a spring tending to resist movement of said gear.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

RALPH H. CHILTON. 

